Frightening Facts
by Omnipotent Genghis Khan Sammid
Summary: Cedric and Gwen have been friends for 6 years, but can their friendship withstand the Triwizard Tournament, new relationships, and even more, their own emotions? Made to fit into GOF, will stray later on CDCC, CDOC
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello everyone! Thanks for clicking on this story! Please excuse the technicalities of the magical world. I am trying to make this thing as accurate as possible, but writing it will take up enough time. Therefore, I apologize ahead for anything I jack up. I got really excited about this story, and wanted to write the whole thing before I posted it, but I can't wait that long. Plus, some reviews might be the thing to motivate me. Well, I hope you enjoy!

Oh, I don't own Harry Potter.

A little side note, the title of this comes from a Dashboard Confessional song, "Turpentine Chaser" :

"And the frightening facts we've been facing our backs to for so long now are begging for eyes to bear witness to lies and indifference. Now we're saying aloud the things we've declared in our silence, but these new coats of paint will not reacquaint broken hearts to broken homes."

I just really like that lyric, and who knows, it might be applicable later on… shifty eyebrows…

**Frightening Facts**

Snow was falling relentlessly on the age-old structure of Hogwarts in the bitter winter air. Hufflepuff sixth years were returning from their evening charms lesson, chatting away about the unusual events at Hogwarts that year. The Triwizard Tournament was topic of conversation for the majority of the time, but news of the upcoming Yule Ball brought new things to gossip about.

The group dispersed into their different directions, some to the Great Hall and others to the dormitories. Cedric Diggory walked a bit behind the crowd, his brow furrowed in thought.

He knew where to find her; Thursday was her library day. The same old musty chair among the age-old volumes would definitely be occupied, with the same ragged and tattered black bag next to it.

Cedric trotted to the library, wove between the shelves and found himself one turn away from being face to face with her. He inhaled deeply, made the final turn, and blurted out, "Go to the Ball with me?"

The occupant of the chair looked up, an undeniable look of disappointment on her face. She swept her long blonde hair off her face, and replied, "That was more dreadful than last time."

"Gwen!" Cedric sighed, frustrated, collapsing into a chair, burying his discouraged face in his hands.

"Let's try it again," she replied, pretending to be absorbed in her book as Cedric rethought his approach method.

Pages turning were the only noise. Cedric's chair creaked loudly as he adjusted himself.

"So…" he began, shaking his brown locks out of his face, doing his best to be seductive.

Gwen laughed. "Ok, stop right there. No self-respecting girl is even going to CONSIDER going out with someone who starts off like that."

"Well maybe she isn't self-respecting?" Cedric asked desperately. As he looked up, he couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Gwen's face. "If I can't ask YOU out, then how am I going to be able to ask Cho?" His eyes looked up at her.

The already gray afternoon sky grew dimmer, signaling it was time for dinner. Gwen stuffed her belongings into her tattered bag and stood up. "Just keep practicing. You need to be comfortable with what you're going to say."

The gray sky grew darker with each step they took towards Madam Pince, sitting behind her desk. Gwen placed the book on the counter and signed her name on the parchment. "805 Things You Should Know About Salamanders," Cedric read, idly thumbing through the book. "You do know you are the first person in the history of Hogwarts to check this book out?"

Gwen scowled and shoved the book into her bag. "If you're just going to make fun of me, I'll go to the Owlery myself."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Cedric laughed. "I'm in no position to rag on your interests."

"I'm only reading it because I don't have Care of Magical Creatures anymore," Gwen defended. She received an Outstanding OWL in that class, but unfortunately, not enough students wanted to continue on to NEWT levels, and the class was canceled. However, her love for strange and dangerous creatures was shared by Hagrid, who regularly invited her for tea to show the latest black market creature he picked up.

Cedric knew of Gwen's obsession with all living things; she had nearly fallen down the stairs when word of Hagrid having a hippogriff got out last year. Her arm had countless burn scars from the blast-ended skrewts she helped Hagrid breed earlier that year. Cedric just shrugged this off; to each his own. They graciously accepted their differences.

The two had known each other since First year, when the Sorting Hat found them to be of similar Houses. Cedric had shyly sat down next to a tall and lanky third year, with a mop of messy blonde hair. This boy had congratulated Cedric on being in Hufflepuff, but quickly stopped the conversation, being as the next first year to be sorted was his younger sister. Gwendolyn Dunleavy had been placed in Hufflepuff, as well, and took a seat next to her older brother, Isaac.

They shared their golden locks with the rest of the Dunleavy household. They had a younger brother, who was in his third year while Gwen was in her sixth. Oscar was rather tall for his age and a bit scrawny.

The pair reached the top of the West Tower as Monroe, Gwen's inherited owl, had just returned. Monroe had been Isaac's, but upon his graduation from Hogwarts the year before, his parents had given him an owl of his own.

A scroll of parchment was tied to the gray owl's foot.

"_Gwendolyn,"_ she read aloud. _"Your father and I have been reading about the Triwizard Tournament in the Daily Prophet, but it is nice to get details from someone other than a reporter. Please tell Cedric congratulations for us._" Gwen paused. "Hey, Ced," she said nudging him with a laugh. "My parents say congratulations!"

Cedric smiled as he was petting a nearby barn owl. Gwen continued. _"Isaac is making progress with the Falmoth Falcons… he thinks he might make the reserve team as beater… I must admit, I am a bit disappointed you and Oscar won't be home for Christmas, but I do hope you enjoy the Yule Ball (Details to follow, I hope?). Love always, Mom."_

Andora Dunleavy worked at St. Mungo's, and her husband, Phineas, worked in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, which was surely where Gwen's passion had risen. The family was very close-knit, willing to do anything for each other. That was where the Hufflepuff gene came in. They were loyal to the end, and even more. For the most part, the Dunleavy's were mild mannered, but they all had their moments. To them, family was everything, with friends coming in at a close second.

However, at the moment, food took precedence over everything as Cedric and Gwen decided it was time to return to the Great Hall for their meal.

The following morning brought the Yule Ball one day closer, as well as the weekend. Gwen decided to use the night to catch up on homework, while Cedric kept her company. The fireplace in the Hufflepuff common room glowed bright as another log was thrown in. The oak table in the corner was occupied as Gwen was composing her latest potions essay on veritaserum. Cedric was sprawled on the couch, sluggishly turning pages to his charms book. He had continued onto NEWT levels, while Gwen was deemed 'dreadful' at the art of charms. She was quite fond of potions, herself. Maybe 'fond' was too strong a word; she was on her seventh inch of her 18 inch potions essay and was nearing the point of setting the room on fire.

"_Just a few drops of this powerful potion…"_ she drearily wrote. The room was quiet; the scratching of her quill and Cedric's occasional turning of a page was all that could be heard.

The silence was broken as an unbearable urge came over Cedric. "For all these years that I've known you, I've always noticed your crooked nose, but I don't know the story behind it." His words seemed to echo in the room. His face popped up from the couch and looked at Gwen intently. Her green eyes rose from her parchment and she placed her quill carefully on the table "So, Gwendolyn Aurora Dunleavy, why is your nose crooked?"

Gwen looked at him. "Quidditch. I was ten, Isaac was twelve and he wanted to make the team… I was watching him practice, then bam, bludger right in the face." She shrugged, sorry that the story wasn't more interesting, but hey, he asked for it. Her mind was returned to her essay.

It was obvious Cedric was in a certain mood and that Gwen's fair load of homework would not snuff it. "And then what?" he asked earnestly, total interest visible on his face.

"Well, my parents weren't home and there was no way I was going to let him try and fix it, so we used some Spellotape until-"

"You used Spellotape on a broken nose?" Cedric asked incredulously.

"…that's why it's crooked." Gwen sighed. "Anyway, I'm busy. Go ask someone else to tell you boring stories."

"Okay, okay," Cedric replied, getting up from the couch. His tall frame approached the table, and he stood across from her. He placed his hands on the table and leaned across. "What I'm trying to get at is… I've done a lot of thinking and decided that it had to be you… come to the Yule Ball with me?"

Gwen looked up at his face silhouetted by the glowing flames of the fireplace. The earnestness remained on his face as he stared. A crooked smile danced on her lips, and she slowly nodded. "Yeah… that would, that would be great…" A rush of excitement raced through her body. She was thankful for the shield of darkness the night casted, hiding her flushed cheeks.

Cedric remained in his hunched over position. He quietly said, "So, that's a yes? You'll go to the ball with me?" He smiled hopefully.

"Yeah," Gwen repeated, "I'll go to the ball with you."

In a second's time, Cedric shot up straight. He raised his arms in triumph. "You finally said yes!"

Gwen contorted her face in thought for moment, wondering when Cedric had asked her to the ball before when it hit her: He was practicing for when he asked Cho for real. She mentally punched herself for losing her foothold in reality for those few strange moments.

A forced smile replaced Gwen's genuine one. The excitement was ripped back out of her and thrown into Cedric. "I can finally ask Cho now! I have a method!"

"What's your method? Annoy the wand out of her hand then swoop in all romantic like?" Gwen questioned, masking her now disheartened attitude with sour humor.

Cedric shrugged, still visibly elated. "It worked for you, didn't it?" He flashed a smile and began heading up to his dormitory.

"Hey," he said before disappearing in the dark hall. "Thanks… for everything." She just answered with a smile.

As soon as his footsteps dissolved again into silence, it seemed Gwen let out her breath.

"_What was that all about?!"_ she asked herself. "_Did I just say yes to him!?"_ Her thoughts raced about in her head as she tried to ignore the nagging feeling in her gut that wanted to be Cedric's date to the Yule Ball. She quickly returned to her dorm.

Maura Lurmont was still awake when Gwen entered the room. Their other two roommates, Lucille Ermstead and Roberta Marsh, slept silently beside them. The room was your typical Hogwarts dormitory. Four post beds, trunks, school robes, spell books…

As Gwen collapsed onto her bed, Maura looked at her questioningly. "Finish your essay?" The grunt Gwen let out answered Maura's question as she pushed her glasses up her nose. Her freckled face was sprinkled with concern over Gwen's attitude. "Okay, what happened?" Maura asked adamantly.

Gwen inhaled, "Well, Cedric asked me to the ball, and I said yes, but then realized he was practicing for when he asks Cho, and now I feel like an idiot and don't know why I said yes, well I know why I said yes- Cedric's a lot of fun- but I don't know why when I realized he was practicing that I felt so down all of a sudden."

The moment's silence that followed was broken by a 'Hmm' as Maura responded.

"Well, I think it can be deduced that you like him."

Once again Gwen's face scrunched up in a questioning fashion. "Excuse me?"

"Yeah, it makes perfect sense, actually," Maura continued, reaching into her stash of chocolate frogs. "You've only been best friends since… what, forever? You only hang out all the time. It's really just a matter of time before one of you fell for the other." She took a bite of the candy and looked up to see Gwen gaping at her, adding a roll of her eyes for dramatic effect.

"You're full of dragon dung, ya know that, right?" Gwen said, pulling down her sheets and crawling into her warm bed.

"Oh sure, if by 'dragon dung' you mean cold hard facts!" Maura exclaimed, throwing a frog onto her friend's bed. "You just admitted that you wanted to go to the ball with him."

"I… I guess I did." Gwen's expression turned pensive as she thought about the last few moments with Cedric. "But just because I want to go to the ball with him doesn't mean I'd go off snogging him anytime soon-"

"So if he were to lean in to kiss you, would you run the other way screaming?"

"No, that's extreme, don't ya think?" Gwen responded, avoiding the question at hand. "Okay, I'm not talking to you anymore tonight. You're making me delirious." And with that, she turned on her side and put the light out. Maura giggled and settled into her own bed.

As Gwen tried to sleep, Maura's words drifted through her head. It was true- she and Cedric did hang out a lot… but all that meant was that they enjoyed each other's company. They were best friends since first year… but that simply was because they found each other interesting. And if Cedric were to lean in and kiss her, Gwen would, in fact, NOT run in the other direction screaming… which meant…

"Oh my gosh!" Gwen said, sitting up, horrified at her realization. "I've got a thing for my best friend!"

Maura mumbled into the darkness, "Frightening, isn't it?"


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thanks for the reviews! I apologize for taking half a century to update, but college is catching up to me. Next chapter will be up sooner. I promise! It's already half written! Enjoy Chapter twoooo!

Chapter Two.

Monday morning arrived with a bright sun and frigid air. The Yule Ball was only 1 week away and the entire castle was packed with anticipation. Gwen, however, was begrudgingly eating her breakfast. The Great Hall was decorated with evergreen trees, garland, wreaths, and quite frankly, Gwen had had enough of it. This particular morning was nothing to brag about. Last night Cedric had excitedly given her the full account of his encounter with Cho after dinner. Her hair was tied back and her scarf was blue and when she said she'd go to the ball she smiled and her laugh was like…

Who honestly cared? Gwen did not. She had put on a smiling face and told Cedric she was happy for him, praying he would believe her, which he thankfully did. He was so excited about Cho that he completely overlooked her morose farewell.

"Can you pass the pumpkin juice?" someone asked.

Gwen grumbled, "Bugger off," and laid her head on the table, ready to fall asleep. Her mind was elsewhere. She hadn't even noticed who spoke until George Weasley took the seat across from her.

"Why the long face, Dunleavy?"

She raised her tired eyes to the smiling redhead. She couldn't help but feel lightened by his expression. "Long night, cold morning, cold breakfast, long face," she muttered with a shrug.

"So that's why you look so ghastly?"

From anyone else, Gwen would have been slightly offended, but coming from a Weasley, she just laughed. "Well, I thought I looked fairly well for it being a 7:30, and all…"

George chuckled, before replying, "Well, I'm sure you clean up well, then?"

"Do you expect me to answer that?"

"No, I expect you to answer this," George said. "Will you go to the Ball with me?"

Gwen cocked her head, a bit taken aback. She thought for a quick moment before replying, "Yes, I'd like that."

George smiled, pleased with himself. "Good…" he said, rising from the bench. "I'd like it, too. See you after class!"

Considerably cheered up, Gwen grabbed her ancient runes text and headed off to class. Along the way, she got caught up in a shifting staircase. However, this wasn't just any shifting staircase. This was the only shifting staircase with Cho Chang aboard.

As Gwen turned to hold onto the banister, she caught Cho doing the same thing a few steps below. Eye contact was made and Cho quietly said, "Hello." Gwen gave the slightest hint of a smile she could muster along with a small wave. She had yet to come to grips with the whole Cedric-Cho… thing.

Always a fan of immensely awkward situations, Gwen blurted out, "So, you're going with Cedric, then?" Her voice had an edge to it that she did not know she was capable of producing. "Uhh… I mean, Cedric told me you're going to the Ball with him?"

Cho nodded. "He asked me last night. I'm looking forward to it."

Gwen was almost definite she had a scowl on her face. Cho was 'looking forward to it.' All Gwen could think about was how she would be skipping with glee to the top of the astronomy tower to shout out to all of Hogwarts how excited she was if Cedric had asked her. But not Cho. Cho could simply state the fact that Cedric asked her to the Ball without any type of excessive bouncing. Sure, Cho was more of the 'reserved' type, but a little emotion wouldn't hurt.

Judging by the awkward look on Cho's face Gwen KNEW she was in fact scowling. As the staircase came to a halt, Gwen forced a smile before quickly heading off to her Ancient Runes class.

Of all the people for Cedric to ask, why did it have to be Cho? She was so… nice! It was sickening, it really was. Gwen couldn't bring herself to even properly snub her on a staircase.

"I bet I'd give her the wand out of my bloody hand if she asked," Gwen whispered to Maura at lunch the next day. "It's so irritating!"

Maura spooned more potatoes onto her plate. "Leave it to Cedric to find the nicest girl on the planet. Wait a minute!" Maura set her silverware down and looked at Gwen, enlightened. "That's why he doesn't like you like that! You're wretched a lot of the time!"

Gwen scowled at her friend. "I'm sure that's the reason," she replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "At least we know George must like me a little, regardless of how wretched I am."

"But George likes wretched things! You're right there with dungbombs and screaming yoyos!" Maura laughed.

"And who asked you to the ball?" Gwen asked. "Oh, yes, that's right, no one."

Maura scowled back at her. "Keep being rude. See if Cedr-"

"Cedric what?" Mr. Diggory walked in as his name was barely out of Maura's mouth. Gwen turned scarlet at his words and looked frantically at Maura.

"See if Cedric… umm had any ideas about how you can do your hair for the ball!" Maura ad-libbed.

Cedric raised his eyebrows. "The Ball?" Gwen stared daggers at Maura, clearly expressing her disapproval at her attempted cover-up.

"Yes, the ball," Maura went on, oblivious. "George asked Gwen yesterday."

"Yeah," Cedric said, distractedly. "I heard he asked you." Gwen shrugged as he stood fidgeting. "He was talking to Lee Jordan, or someone, not quite sure. But… ready for potions?"

"Okay," Gwen said, finishing off her juice.

The two left the Great Hall, heading down the stone hallways and plenty of stairs. Not a word was spoken on the journey to the dungeons. It was not until they were seated at their cauldron with the assignment of reversing the effects of a shrunken head.

"D'you have a dress yet?" he asked quietly. He began organizing their ingredients on the table.

"My mum's going to send me a few from home to choose from," Gwen replied, her eyes skimming her potions book.

"Just be careful," Cedric told her. Gwen looked up, questioning his comment. "Well, you know," he said, trailing off. "Some guys these days can't be trusted… wouldn't want to assume anything of Weasley but…"

Gwen rolled her eyes as she scooped lacewing flies into the couldron. "George doesn't exactly fit the profile for a date rapist."

"_It's a date_ ?" Cedric asked.

"Well…" she thought a moment. Was it a date? They would be dancing the night away, enjoying the other's company, dressing up for the other… and Gwen figured that constituted a date. "Yeah, I guess it is a date."

Cedric face quickly adopted a scowl. He began chopping up the fluxwood roots to hide his displeasure. "I didn't think you liked George like that…"

"It's not like we're getting married, Cedric. We're just going to the ball," Gwen replied, growing defensive. "In case you haven't noticed, I haven't said a single negative thing about Cho."

"Actually," Cedric interrupted. "You never say anything about Cho. I'm beginning to think you don't like her."

"She's not exactly my type…" Gwen trailed sarcastically, stirring the cauldron. She felt anger bubbling up inside her as she clenched the stirring spoon tightly. Was Cedric really that dense?

Snape had been discreetly standing behind the pair. "As promising as this conversation seems to be, I think it best for you two to pay better attention to your cauldron. It should be a pale blue at this point."

Gwen looked at the fizzling yellow liquid in the cauldron then at Cedric leisurely chopping up ingredients. "You're doing it wrong. You're supposed to slice the fluxweed root!"

Cedric argued, "You cut the roots differently when making potions for body enhancements, like the one we're being graded on! I've read it somewhere."

"You've read a book about body enhancement potions?" Gwen asked skeptically. Her voice developed a tangible edge. "Why? Some type of male enhancement potion strike your fancy?"

Cedric glared at her. "Why are you so sour all of a sudden?"

"I'm sorry if Cho isn't my favorite topic to gab on about all day and all night," she replied incredulously.

"Why didn't you just say something, then?" Cedric asked, abandoning his potion tools completely now.

"I'll say it now," Gwen said. "I don't like her." She grabbed her bag and left the dungeon, wiping away the tear crawling down her cheek.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: "Ok so this chapter took wayyyy longer than I expected. Thanks for sticking with it and for the reviews. I hope you all still enjoy!"

**Chapter Three**

The final day of classes before Christmas Break passed like molasses. After Gwen and Cedric's argument in potions, the two had been avoiding each other. It had only been two days, but it seemed like so much longer. Now that Gwen was avoiding Cedric, she couldn't help but realize just how much time the two of them really did spend together.

"It's frightening!" she whispered to Maura while walking to the Great Hall for lunch. "I never realized how many things we do together! I had to go to the owlery by myself yesterday!"

"By yourself?!" Maura exclaimed sarcastically. "Well, that must have been traumatizing!"

Gwen sighed, frustrated. She looked up from her plate to see Cedric breeze past the table, heading to sit with his friends on the other side of the hall. His pink cheeks wore the evidence that he had just come from outside, from herbology she decided, after consulting her mental schedule.

"So how long is this going to keep up?" Maura asked, munching on a cookie.

Gwen shook her eyes from the back of Cedric's head to glare at her friend. "Until he apologizes."

"Well that better be soon. I can't take much more of you. Go make some new friends," she teased. However, Gwen was back to staring into the back of Cedric's head. He was smiling, she would bet her wand on it. Her chin was cradled by her hand, while the other hand dawdled across her plate with a fork full of lunch. She watched Cedric's every move, her heart fluttering as his head turned to the boy next to him, mouth wide open in a laughing grin.

"Just go and talk to him!" Maura said loudly snapping Gwen back to reality.

"No, I have better things to do," she quipped, pulling out her book about salamanders. "Only two chapters left!" She opened the dusty cover and flipped to her dragon scale book mark. In the back of her head, she was counting the seconds as they passed; her next class was potions. With Cedric. She was simultaneously yearning for and dreading this class. Maybe today would be the day he apologized…

The clock hands continued in their usual motions and soon Gwen could not put off Potions any longer. She walked the long path alone, reading over her essay on everlasting elixirs. She sauntered into the dungeon, her eyes searching wildly.

"Looking for your seat, Miss Dunleavy?" Snape asked coming into the dungeon behind her. "I assure you, it is where you left it." Gwen hurried to her seat, throwing her books upon the vacant table.

Professor Snape walked to the front of the class, collecting the assigned essays. The room grew quiet as class was about to begin. Gwen was still pre-occupied with the empty seat next to her, wondering where on earth Cedric was.

"Your strengthening potions have been brewing since the last class, and now they are ready for the final steps. When you are finished, you may leave," Snape announced.

Just as the words left his mouth, the dungeon door creaked open revealing Cedric. "Ah, Mr. Diggory, nice of you to join us," Snape said with his usual edge. Gwen's heart began to race as she now decided it was a perfect time to arrange the books on her desk.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Cedric replied, walking towards his seat.

Snape continued, "I was just informing your punctual class mates that you can now finish your strengthening potions. Tell me, Mr. Diggory, what is the final ingredient to be added today?"

Cedric's eyes flicked towards Gwen, knowing that the answer would surface in her mind instantaneously. Gwen immediately felt a rush of anxiety for him. He wouldn't know the answer… she was the potions buff, taking lead every class. The sight of him standing there on the spot made all of her defenses melt away. She could have sat there and basked in the moment, but instead she looked at her library book on top of the pile, and subtly drummed her fingers upon it.

Luckily, she and Cedric knew each other well enough to pick up on these subtle hints, and stuttering, he answered, "Salamander… uhh, salamander blood."

Snape nodded, less than impressed. "Very well then, get to it."

Cedric slid into his chair as Gwen got up to get their cauldron and ingredients. She gently placed them on the table then handed Cedric his set of potions tools.

"Thanks," he said, "for this, and for that." He jerked his head his Snape's direction. "Lucky for me you checked that library book out."

"And to think you made fun of me for it," Gwen replied, a faint trace of a smile settling on her lips. It was the first he'd heard her spoke in nearly three days, and the sound of her voice brought a comfort to the dank room for Cedric.

"So, are we going to stop ignoring each other, or should I keep working it into my daily schedule?" Gwen asked, breaking the moment's silence.

Cedric smiled. "I was going to suggest continuing it through the holidays, actually…" he trailed off. Gwen rolled her eyes at her partner as he handed her the vial of salamander blood. And just like that, the last three days vanished from importance.

With the whole Cedric ordeal over and done with, the only thing to preoccupy Gwen was the Yule Ball. As promised, her mother sent her a few dresses from home to decide between and after lengthy consideration, one was picked as "the one". The only thing left to worry about now was the actual dance. With George.

George Weasely. Until Cedric had brought it up, Gwen thought absolutely nothing of George asking her to the ball. They were friends- they enjoyed each other's company. Why shouldn't they be allowed to go to the ball together? …But then why should it only be as friends? Who was to say that George didn't think of this as a first date? Who was to say that Gwen didn't entertain the idea herself?

Only seconds after walking into the Great Hall on Christmas, Gwen saw the reason why it would never work with George, and oh my did he look handsome. Cedric stood idly by the door, his fingers entwined in Cho's, waiting for the opening dance. She would have stood there and stared for centuries if George hadn't dragged her into the crowd.

Gwen followed, arm linked with George's as he cheerfully waved hello to those nearby. "You look beautiful," he told her as they took a spot in the crowd. Her long gown was a lavender color, with ruby accents in all the right places. The strapless dress fit her perfectly, showing off a fair amount of skin along her shoulders and back. Her hair cascaded down in curls, pulled back with a ruby clip on each side. George looked quite snazzy himself; his suit looked handsome upon him, and even better next to Gwen.

The band struck up a tune as McGonagall cleared a path for the Four Champions to enter. First came Davies and Fleur, followed by Krum and Hermione. Gwen stood on her tiptoes to see Cedric and Cho come down the path. She was grateful she and Cedric had abandoned their foolish bickering. She remembered what Maura had told her while they were getting ready: "Don't waste tonight. Be happy that he's happy, even if it's not because of you. Remember, you make other people happy, don't let them down." Those words danced through her mind and with a bit of effort, she took them to heart.

After the first song ended, Cedric and Cho approached George and Gwen near one of the tables. Cho quietly stood beside Cedric; she didn't really know Gwen too well, and only knew George through Quidditch.

"You look great!" Gwen said excitedly, as Cedric adjusted his collar, doing his best impression of a movie star.

"You don't look too shabby yourself," Cedric observed as Gwen dramatically spun around, playfully striking a pose. "You know how to pick 'em, Weasley," he added to George, just loud enough so Gwen could hear. She rolled her eyes at Cedric, but still blushed under the compliment.

He took Cho's hand and led her to the dance floor. "Oh, and Weasley-" Cedric said. "Don't forget- I call Gwen for one dance!" Gwen's eyes followed him to the dance floor, admiring his silhouette as it embraced Cho's slender form. As much as it hurt, she had to admit they looked good together, each in their own flawless way. Cedric looked confident as he spun his date around the floor, and Cho simply glowed.

The night passed smoothly, everyone forgetting about their cares and enjoying themselves. Gwen and George had found their way to the refreshments when Cedric and Cho wandered over. "I call next dance!" Cedric exclaimed, sipping on his pumpkin juice.

Gwen shrugged. "You'll have to ask permission." She grinned playfully.

Cedric nodded and turned to George. "May I borrow Miss Dunleavy?"

"Sure, but I expect to have her back," George replied smugly. Cedric smiled and began to drag Gwen towards the dance floor. "Remember, Diggory- I know where you live!" George called after them with a laugh.

The band was playing the final chords of the song as Cedric and Gwen reached the floor. The band strummed the first few notes of the next song, showing its slower tempo. The crowd gradually grew closer with couples drawing each other in close. Gwen's heart was pounding as Cedric slowly drew her in, gently resting his hands on her waist. _Just be cool_ , she reminded herself. _Breathe, yes, breathing is the key…_

"Ya know," Cedric began as they slowly swayed to the music. "You don't look half bad tonight."

Gwen raised her eyebrow. "…As opposed to every other day when I do look half bad?"

Without missing a beat, Cedric replied, "Well, yes…" He smiled sheepishly.

They stood there in a half dance, held captive by the song and the obligation to see it through. Never before had the two of them felt such a need for conversation. They could sit for hours in silence in the common room, or not say a word over dinner, but suddenly their minds raced to find a suitable topic for the current situation.

"So, the second task…" Gwen trailed.

Cedric eagerly accepted this conversation. "Yeah, I'm still trying to figure out that egg. Any ideas?"

"No," she spit out quickly, unsure of what to say next. Back to that awkward silence. Great. They averted their eyes to anything but each other, staring at the couples dancing around them. Gwen's fingers fidgeted around Cedric's shoulders. "_Are my hands too tight? Are my hands sweaty?! Oh gosh, he's probably disgusted right now… Ugh, I loathe myself."_

On the contrary, Cedric thought nothing of her hands and their relative moistness. He was busy contemplating the placement of his own two hands. "_Are my hands too low? Are they on her waist or… below it? Oh gosh, I'm definitely too low_ . " He casually shifted his grip on her up a few inches. Gwen met his eyes. "_Great, now she's thinking about how low they were before…_

In the loud pulsing music of the band and the mindless chatter of the other students, their own silence created a unique atmosphere for them. Cedric suddenly became aware of the pattern of Gwen's breathing. He noticed how her lips slowly closed as she exhaled, and she seemed to blink every other time she inhaled…

"What, are you counting my pores?" Gwen asked, shattering their silence. She was painfully aware of Cedric's full attention being on her, and studying her face, at that.

Cedric was taken aback before realizing that it must have been a rather awkward ten seconds for the other party involved. "Oh, sorry, I got lost for a minute there," he said quietly.

The song was coming to a close and they both slowly retreated their hands. A single thought entered Gwen's head: Why is it so awkward with him tonight?! Trying her best to avoid yet another uncomfortable silence, she said, "Well, I wouldn't want George to come after you tonight with his wand…" She backed up slowly, that playful grin sweeping over her features once more.

"Right," Cedric said, grasping her attempt to bring the levity back between the two of them. "I would like to live another day," he joked. "See you later."

The rest of the night passed in tempo with the music resounding throughout the Great Hall. The numbers on the dance floor were slowly decreasing as students retreated into the confines of their rooms to relive the fresh memories made. George had been the gentlemen, walking Gwen to the entrance to her common room.

"Well, Gwendolyn, it has truly been a pleasure," he said dramatically, bowing down as low as possible.

"Oh, Mr. Weasely, the pleasure is all mine," she laughed. "I had fun tonight… thanks."

George smiled. "Me, too." He leaned closer to her, giving her a warm embrace. "Good night." Gwen watched as he disappeared down the hall before going into the common room. As the door closed behind her, she let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, first things first," she said, finding the nearest chair. Her fingers fiddled with the clasps on her shoes until they tumbled to the floor, leaving blisters in their wake. Next came her clips- she carefully extracted them from her hair, letting it fall onto her shoulders and face. She had stood up, grabbed her shoes, and started up the staircase when the door opened. Cedric walked in, his jacket draped over his arm.

Gwen couldn't help but smile over his appearance. His hair was tousled and his bow tie had come undone, hanging limply around his neck. "Tough night?"

He looked up, startled. "Hey… I didn't see you there. Just getting in?"

She nodded, fidgeting with her now loose tendrils. She immediately wished she had kept the clips in a little bit longer. "Yeah, George just walked me back… and Cho?" she asked.

"Safe and sound," Cedric laughed lightly. Again, that awkward silence crept up to them. "Uh, well, I'm tired and you look exhausted so… I'll see you in the morning?"

Gwen nodded. "Yeah, in the morning… Good night." She started back up the stairs.

"Gwen?" She stopped to look back at Cedric. He furrowed his brow, trying to find the words. "Uhh earlier- It came out wrong on the dance floor. You really do look beautiful tonight." Gwen was thankful for the cover of night as her cheeks blazed scarlet. She smiled shyly down at him before continuing to her room. Cedric watched as she walked up the stairs, a shy smile upon his own blushing face.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! A million apologies about this taking forever, but I know you've heard that before. Thanks for reading!

**Chapter Four**

"Travis, Travis!" Cedric whispered. The morning after the ball started quite early for Cedric, and for one of his roommates, as well. "Come on, wake up!"

Travis groaned into his pillow, refusing to respond to Cedric's nudges. "Go away," he grunted. Travis and Cedric clearly were not on the same page.

"Let's go, decent flying weather," Cedric said quietly, not wanting to wake up his other roommates. He and Travis were both on the Hufflepuff quidditch team, and with the quidditch season being suspended due to the Triwizard Tournament, they were eager for any chance to fly.

Upon hearing the words "flying weather", Travis' mood noticeably improved. "Give me ten minutes."

Cedric grinned, pleased with his efforts. He grabbed his broom and headed out to the quidditch pitch. The late December weather pinched at his exposed cheeks. This was what he needed… Last night he had had trouble clearing his mind long enough to fall asleep. All he could do was think about… Gwen. But, he had argued with himself, she _was_ the last person he talked to before he went to bed, so it only made sense to have her on his mind last night… but then Cho. He had spent the entire night with Cho. Why didn't he think of her? All this meant was that Cedric needed some good old fashioned quidditch to help his racing mind.

As Cedric circled around the goal posts, he saw Travis sluggishly trekking across the white earth. It was still early for Travis, but he would warm up nicely. He was the most competitive person Cedric knew, which was just the thing Cedric needed to clear his mind.

Travis joined Cedric in the air and tossed him a quaffle. "Catch?" They began tossing the ball back and forth, adding distance and height to each consecutive throw. They grew more and more intense as time passed. It wasn't long before they both needed a break.

"So, what's on your mind?" Travis asked, coming alongside Cedric. He just shrugged in response. "Oh, don't give me that," Travis said, rolling his eyes. "I've known you too long. What's bugging you?"

Cedric sighed. This was the downside to having such close friend- they always seemed to know when something was wrong, and Cedric couldn't deny it. "Well," he began. "Last night…"

"Yeah?" Travis asked.

"When Gwen and I were dancing, I-" He searched for the words. "I felt like I wasn't dancing with Gwen."

"Is that so?"

Cedric sighed. "You know what I mean. She wasn't the Gwen I knew… she was, older, mature Gwen. Not the Gwen who gives me puke flavored jelly beans on purpose."

Travis looked at his friend. "I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're getting at."

Cedric rolled his eyes. "I guess I just looked at her a little differently last night, that's all."

Back in the warmth of the castle, heavy curtains clouded the windows of the Hufflepuff dormitories. Gwen groaned as she turned over in bed, her muscles aching in reminder of the dancing she had done the night before. Her roommates were still sleeping, so Gwen quietly crept out of bed to the common room. The room was deserted as it was barely even seven o'clock. Wrapped warmly in her robe, she curled into a chair and contented herself with looking out over the snow covered grounds.

Looking closer, she saw two people coming in from the quidditch pitch, and her stomach lurched as she quickly recognized Cedric and Travis. She watched the pair approach the castle, and then took to anxiously looking towards the common room door. After what felt like an eternity, two pairs of footsteps reached the door. Their laughter flowed through the room as the door swung open. Their laughter died as soon as they spotted Gwen in the room.

"Good… morning…" she said awkwardly, wondering why they grew so silent so quickly.

"Hi," Cedric said, smiling. "Are you going to be down here for a bit?" She nodded. "I'm going to grab your Christmas gift, so you can't leave, okay?"

"Well, can I go and grab _your_ Christmas gift?" she asked.

He stood pensive for a moment, then grinned. "Permission granted."

~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Merry Christmas!" Cedric grinned, thrusting a package into her hands. He watched eagerly as her fingers fumbled with the wrapping paper, just waiting for her to smile.

She looked up at him suspicious of what could possibly be beneath the paper and ribbon. Gwen removed a bit of it, revealing the thick glass underneath. "You… you got me a jar," she stated, feigning disappointment.

"Yeah, well, I know how you feel about glassware," Cedric played along. "Ok, but really, open it!"

Gwen consented, peeling back the paper completely. Her eyes fell onto the large jar, where inside a palm size dragon flitted about. She looked up at Cedric as both joy and curiosity decorated her expression. He grinned back, pleased with her reaction.

"Is that… is that a Swedish shortsnout?" she asked examining the miniature dragon closer.

Cedric nodded. "After the first task, I got a hold of Crouch so that you could have your very own miniature charmed dragon."

"It's… it's great!" Gwen said, completely enamored with the dragon. Cedric knew she would appreciate it. After all, dragons were one of her favorite topics. "Thank you!" she squealed, throwing her arms around him. "Here, this is for you!" Gwen grinned. "Now, it's no dragon in a jar, but I think you'll like it…"

Cedric pulled the paper back, revealing a pair of quidditch goggles. But these weren't just any quidditch goggles… "These are the most ridiculous things I've ever seen!" Cedric exclaimed. "Are these the ones from Zonko's?" Earlier in the year, the two of them had stumbled upon a lone pair of joke goggles in Zonko's, complete with flashing colors and sound effects.

"I couldn't resist," Gwen said. "I think they would look sharp on you. In an insane kind of way…"

Cedric guffawed. "Insane being key right there… but what is more insane? Someone designing these, or someone actually purchasing them?"

"Quite frankly," she began, "I think the most insane thing would be you wearing them."

"Oh you know I will!" he laughed. "I'll wear them if you promise me you'll wear them, too!"

She paused for a moment, contemplating his request. Her hand clasped his and shook it. "Deal."

Cedric turned the goggles over in his hand a few times, trying to appreciate them in all their horrendous glory. He pushed a small button upon them, which sent out a multitude of sparks. Gwen let out a long burst of laughter as Cedric was clearly caught off guard. He joined in her laughter, saying, "These are going to be the death of me, aren't they?"

The sun was growing brighter each moment and the common room slowly came to life with sleepy-eyed Hufflepuffs. As Maura came sauntering down the stairs, Gwen subconsciously pulled away from Cedric.

"Food?" Maura grunted. Gwen gave a small nod and slowly stood up.

"I'll, uh, I'll talk to you later?" she said to Cedric, following Maura to the door.

He nodded his head. "Yeah, I'll see you later," he replied. "Oh, and thanks for the gift," he grinned, giving the goggles a wave which promptly emitted a plume of smoke into the common room.

The door to the common room closed quietly behind Maura and Gwen as they made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. Their steps echoed in the stone corridors, as did their grumbling stomachs.

"I am so hungry, I could eat a grindylow," Maura stated.

Gwen was paying no attention to her words, however, as she was preoccupied with observing her jarred dragon. It spread its wings in the tiny space, soaring around the jar.

"Gwen!" Maura said loudly, getting her attention. "What's that?" She leaned in to get a better view of what so implicitly held Gwen's attention.

"It's a Swedish shortsnout! Cedric gave it to me for Christmas! Look- it's a perfect replica! The talons and the pattern of its scales- see the way they-"

"Forget I asked!" Maura interrupted, dismissing the topic. "But speaking of Cedric… you two looked like you were having a good time dancing last night?" She looked at Gwen, a look of accusation upon her face.

Gwen guffawed. "It was the most awkward dance I've ever experienced!" But no matter how awkward and uncomfortable it may have been, she could not deny the fact that her heart immediately began to pound at the mere memory. She became aware of her jittery hands the same time Maura did.

"Look at you! You're getting all worked up thinking about it!" she claimed. Neither of them could deny it, so Gwen simply responded with an innocent, defeated shrug.

Gwen felt her stomach turning, and she knew it wasn't due to hunger. She didn't like this new habit her body had acquired… everytime she thought of, spoke to, or even saw Cedric, her stomach was in knots. "I guess I like him a lot more than I want to admit," she confessed. Maura raised an eyebrow, prodding her to continue. "I mean, he's got a girlfr- he's dating- well, he's got Cho. And he really likes her. Plus, we're friends! It's… weird."

"Why is it so weird?" Maura quietly asked.

Gwen sighed. "I can't just stop seeing him. It's not like having a crush on someone in herbology, where you can avoid them if you want. I'm always going to see Cedric. And let's say I tell him I like him. Our friendship would be ruined."

"But what if he feels the same way?"

They stopped walking as they reached the entrance to the Great Hall. Gwen turned to Maura before saying, "What if he doesn't?" They let the conversation die, although Maura made a point to press this particular issue further at a later time. Right now, she had priorities, and breakfast was number one


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing! A million thanks!

**Chapter Five.**

The remainder of winter vacation disappeared into the past, and was replaced with homework assignments and essays. The month of December was spent looking forward to the Yule Ball, and now in the New Year, the Hogwarts community looked ahead to the second Tri-Wizard task.

As the days slipped by, Cedric was becoming more and more anxious, and rightly so. He had only recently figured out the secret lying within his golden egg but was now set to the task of preparing for it. How on earth was he going to navigate the Black Lake while simultaneously looking for some unknown item and fending off grindylows? The idea of breathing underwater was pushed out of his mind while he busied himself worrying about everything else that could go wrong. He had spent the majority of herbology asking Gwen about the creatures that might be found within the lake, everything from their temperament to their mating rituals. The information did nothing to soothe his nerves.

One part of Cedric's life that was satisfactory was his situation with Cho. After the Yule Ball, they had undoubtedly grown closer. With all the stress from the tournament, on top of his studies, he was grateful for the stress free time he shared with her. They shared their love of quidditch and took to having morning flying sessions when the weather permitted.

One particular morning while Cedric was out flying with Cho, Gwen found herself in the Great Hall with Maura, being cornered by George Weasley.

"This weekend, Fred and I are going to Zonko's to stock up and we'd love to have another opinion in on the matter," George said. "You interested?"

"Definitely," she grinned. Growing up with two brothers, Gwen had experienced her fair share of jokes and pranks. If nothing else, Fred and George gave her a few new ideas to try out on her brothers to make up for years of being teased…

George returned her grin before returning back to his breakfast across the Great Hall. Gwen turned back to her own meal only to be met with an incredulous expression coming from Maura. "…What?!" Gwen asked.

Maura's wide eyes now opened wider with astonishment. "He just asked you out on VALENTINE'S DAY!" she exclaimed, looking at Gwen as if this was the single most important thing to ever happen to her.

Gwen inquisitively turned her head, while wishing her friend's eyes would return to an acceptable size. "Saturday is Valentine's Day!" Maura explained. "He asked you to Hogsmeade! On Valentine's Day!" Gwen still seemed unphased by this apparently monumental fact. "Gwendolyn! This is… for real!"

She rolled her eyes. "Actually, I think he asked me to help him pick out an assortment of puking pastilles and acne inducing jelly beans, with his BROTHER. I do not see anything, erm, "real" in that."

"Gosh, you wouldn't," Maura said, rolling her eyes. "By agreeing to go to Hogsmeade with George-" Gwen shot her a sharp glance, causing Maura to add, "-AND Fred- you are more or less agreeing to not go to Hogsmeade with anyone else…"

Gwen leaned in close to her friend, whispering, "If this is about Cedric, I'm not even going to go there! He's… dating Cho."

Before Maura could voice an objection, Gwen grabbed her bag and started to head off. The corridor she trudged down was empty. Her footsteps echoed in the stone hall as she made her way to the library. One particular book was overdue and she really did not appreciate the glares given to her by Madam Pince.

Just as she had done a thousand times before, Gwen made the twists and turns towards her favorite chair. She rounded the final corner… and found her chair occupied. A bit thrown off, she stood staring for an awkward moment. She started to turn around to find another corner when the person put down the book he was holding close to his face. As the book was lowered, Gwen could barely contain her laughter.

Cedric had been conveniently hiding behind a rather large textbook before he revealed himself. Finding Cedric at the library itself was no laughing matter, but add a rather wonky pair of quidditch goggles and the laughter just came naturally. His eyes were magnified by the glass giving him a humorous asymmetrical face, and just as he said "hello" they sent sparks into the hair, accompanied by a loud cracking noise.

"Madam Pince or Filch are going to confiscate these, aren't they?" he chuckled, patting out some of the persistent sparks.

"They should!" she replied with a giggle. "Why on EARTH are you wearing them?"

He raised his eyebrows, which added to the magnification from the goggles, and gained a few more snickers from Gwen. "Our little deal- if I wear them, you have to wear them. I thought I'd like to have that promise hanging over your head these days…" She promptly punched him in the arm, causing the goggles to vibrate violently. Cedric playfully pushed back.

"So," Gwen began. "What are you reading?"

Cedric handed her the old book, saying, "Brushing up on my charms, the bubblehead charm, to be specific. Preparing for the next task." She nodded approvingly, leaning over the chair, looking at the text.

"Excuse me." Both Cedric and Gwen abruptly turned to the source of the voice, to find George standing before them.

"Hey!" Gwen said loudly, being caught off guard. She subconsciously pulled away from Cedric, settling into her own seat. "What's going on?"

"Just wanted to let you know that on Saturday, we're going to head over to Hogsmeade around noon, if that works for you," he said with a grin.

"That… that works wonderfully for me," Gwen replied.

"Alright, great," he replied. "There's a game of exploding snap going on, if you want to join?"

"Why not?" Gwen looked to Cedric as she slowly stood up and gave a small smile and wave before leaving the library.

Cedric leaned back in his chair. He then realized that his hands were clenched into fists, and with a sigh, he stretched his fingers and turned his attention back to his charms book.

The pair walked past Madam Puddifuts and curiously stared into the window. The extensive use of the color pink was immediately noted. Gwen immediately noticed Cedric's silhouette at one table, across from Cho who was simply gleaming. She was unsure exactly how long she stood there but George wasn't. "We can get a table, if you'd rather. Probably a bit warmer inside."

"Huh?" she grunted as she turned to him. He looked down at her, his rosy cheeks pulled back into a small smile. "What? Is something funny?"

George chuckled softly. "If you liked me half as much as you liked him, maybe we'd be getting somewhere." He had his hands in his pockets and kept that playful smile upon his face.

"I don't-"

"Don't finish that sentence," George interrupted. "It's just a shame he doesn't see it." Her cheeks burned red, embarrassment taking up residence on her face. She let out a sigh, staring at the ground.

"I'm… sorry?" she said meekly. "It's not that I don't like you, it's just…"

George quickly interrupted her. "Okay, well, let's get some butterbeers at the Leaky Cauldron. I've got an idea for these sweets that make your tongue swell-" Gwen smiled, grateful that George was so easy going and understanding. They left their post at the window and laughed their way down the street.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Are you ready for the second task?" she asked.

Cedric paused for a moment, setting his hot chocolate down. He wanted to answer truthfully so he gave it some thought. "Well, yes, I guess I am. Physically, at least. Mentally, not so much."

"Is it just nerves, ya think?" she replied. Her pink lips sipped at the cup while her eyes remained on his pensive face.

"Could be," he mused, staring at the table. He looked up and saw Gwen and George walking past the window. "Yeah, just nerves," he said, swallowing hard.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Listen up," Professor Sprout called over the rambling students. "Each of your work stations has an unidentified plant. You have the rest of the class to successfully identify the species and unique characteristics. Good luck!"

Gwen scowled at the lopsided plant in front of her. The second task was tomorrow and the excitement around the castle was clearly visible as the quiet whispers never seemed to end. Cedric had a distant look in his eyes as he fidgeted with the plant, oblivious to instructions.

"You okay?" Gwen whispered, almost afraid to say something to him.

He nodded lightly. "I just wonder what it's like." His eyes stared through the windows straight to the Black Lake.

She followed his eyes to the still water. "I'm sure the lake is full of wretched creatures that thirst for Hufflepuff blood."

Cedric rolled his eyes, obviously not wanting to hear that. "9:30 tomorrow… then it'll all be over. Until the next task…" he sighed.

Gwen was unsure of what to say to him, not wanting to make light of a situation that he was clearly uncomfortable with, so instead she leaned in close to the plant before casually adding, "Well, Maura, Travis, and I are planning on going down to the lake around nine."

"Oh, you aren't going with Weasley?" His voice had an edge to it, something that caught even himself off guard.

Gwen scowled at his tone. "No, I wasn't planning on it." She continued to poke at the plant in front of her, scribbling down notes. The last thing she wanted to do was get into it again with Cedric. He had more important things to worry about, such as surviving the second task, and she didn't want to be the one to break that concentration.

"So things aren't going well?" he asked as nonchalantly as possible. As much as the second task worried him, he couldn't help but wonder about Gwen's situation with George.

"Look," she said sharply. "You don't have to pretend to care about George. I don't pretend to care about you and Cho."

Cedric nodded, turning the leaves over. He honestly had no interest in this mystery plant at the moment. All he could think about was the two of them walking to the Leaky Cauldron together, laughing over some joke they probably remembered from the Yule Ball… "Well, in case you were wondering, Cho and I were gonna go down to the lake around 9, as well," he added.

"I told you before, I don't like Cho. I'm glad you're happy, but if you plan on talking about her, please let me know so I can pull out a mandrake and ease my suffering," Gwen stated sharply, getting her point across a bit too directly.

Cedric turned his eyes from glaring at her to staring at their plant. He wanted the class to end, to leave the greenhouses, and lock himself in his room, but found himself getting nervous at the thought of being closer to tomorrow morning. He turned his mind back to the greenhouse table to find Gwen staring at him.

"Hey," she said, a small frown hanging on her lips. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm… I'm anxious for tomorrow, too." She attempted a small smile, asking for his forgiveness, which he slowly returned. "And about Cho- I really am happy for you," she managed to squeeze out, although the smile came off her face. She hated lying to her friends.

The next morning, the castle was slowly emptying as everyone gathered to watch the second task. Everyone seemed to pat Cedric on the back or shake his hand as they passed him down to the Black Lake, everyone except the person he was looking for… Gwen hadn't made it to breakfast that morning.

"Where is she?" Cedric thought to himself. His gray eyes scanned the slowly growing crowd for any sign of her. Cho was standing beside him, looking out over the crowding docks at the lake. He looked down to see her smile up at him. The innocence and sheer happiness in her smile made him feel guilty for all the jealousy he directed towards George over Gwen. He didn't care about whatever it was Gwen and George had- he and Gwen were still friends, and that's all he needed, all he wanted…

"Thanks for all the support," Cedric smiled, giving Cho a gentle kiss on her pale cheek. His hand reached for hers and did not let go until he had to join the other champions. He truly did like Cho and it was about time he showed it.

The time before the start of the task ticked away, and before he knew it, Cedric was standing on the dock besides the other champions, waiting for the signal. He repeated the process for a bubblehead charm while staring into the dark waters. Suddenly the cannon sounded and he found himself immersed in the water, adrenaline pumping.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

He swam faster, knowing that the hour was close to expiring. "What could they have taken?" he thought, looking around for anything that looked out of place. Growing increasingly impatient, something caught Cedric's eye. In the distance… were there _people?_ He counted four, and with a lightening of his heart, he sped towards them.

Sure enough, four people were tied by their ankles, under some sort of charm. He couldn't tell who they were from behind, but Harry was busily untying one of them. The seemingly lifeless bodies bobbed about in the water, and as he approached them, Cedric's eyes immediately zoned in upon a certain one. Her blonde hair was floating around her head and dark eyelids covered her green eyes.

"_Gwen… Gwen's my personal treasure?"_ he thought, his hand fumbling about his leg for his wand. His fingers were numb but somehow he managed to get a grip. A stream of light hit the rope and Cedric grabbed Gwen's ankle. Harry turned in time to see him quickly speeding to the surface of the water. He had to get her dry, get her warm, get air into her lungs so she could laugh and smile.

As they emerged, Gwen sputtered as she was reawoken. The collar of her robes was being forcibly pulled as Cedric swam towards the dock, amidst cheers from the Hogwarts students. As she gasped for air, she felt Cedric's strong arm around her waist, holding her above the surface. Swarms of hands pulled the two out of the water and even more threw towels around their soaking bodies. Cedric and Gwen found a spot upon the dock, and were soon forgotten as the other champions emerged and drew the attention of the crowd.

As the other champions arrived, hostage in hand, Cedric didn't take notice. His eyes were fixed upon Gwen's figure, sitting upon the ground. She looked back at him, his breaths short and jerky, shivering from the cold. Her blue lips managed to crack into a small smile as he awkwardly slid closer to her across the hard wooden deck. He looked at her, unsure of what he was feeling, why he was feeling it, while wondering if she felt the same. Cedric simply wanted to hold her until she stopped shivering and kiss her until he could no longer. His fingertips reached her jaw in time to catch the water drop that streamed down her face. His gentle touch sent prickles across her body. Their bodies subconsciously inched closer and closer as clouds of their breath were dancing in the air. Gwen's eyes fluttered closed as Cedric's strong hand proceeded up to her neck and pulled her closer… until their lips met.

Cedric slowly pulled away, his eyes opening in time to catch Gwen gazing back. He smiled at her shivering form. Flakes of snow began to fall through the frigid air, catching their attention just enough for them to realize just how truly cold they were.

He barely had time to remember this moment before a strong arm pulled him off the ground to stand with Dumbledore. Gwen watched as his wet figure was pulled away and disappeared into the throngs of people. Dumbledore proclaimed him the winner amidst cheers from all across the Black Lake. Someone grabbed his hand and thrust it into the air, although Cedric wasn't sure who. All he knew was that he continued to smile. Gwen watched as he was congratulated. A hand was placed upon her shoulder, and she stood up to see Cho beaming back at her.

"Hi," Cho said, pushing a towel into her hands.

The shock of it being Cho set in, and Gwen immediately blushed. "I… uh-" she began, completely flustered in the moment. Her momentary high evaporated into the bitter air. What could she possible say to Cho now?

"First place," Cho interrupted, still smiling. "Can you believe it?" Gwen shook her head in response. Did Cho not see…? Was she making her way down to the dock when it happened…? Obviously she hadn't seen…

Gwen pointed numbly to Dumbledore. "Cedric's with Dumbledore." Cho smiled and hurried off, embracing him in a large congratulatory hug. She caught him off guard, but he responded promptly with a strong embrace. Gwen watched as everyone came up to congratulate him, while his arm happened to remain around Cho's shoulders. In the midst of everything, his thoughts immediately reverted back to Gwen, but when he turned to look, all that remained was a dark spot from the water that dripped from their bodies on the wooden dock.


End file.
